“Thank you for allowing me to join you in your work.”

Much of the time, the how of it exceeds the what of it. How we speak affects what is heard. To be sure, we have to get through how before we get to what. And I want to get to the what of it with my kids when I am giving them feedback on their learning experiences in my classroom, especially their writing experiences. Writing, like any creative endeavor, is personal, and if I am going to join kids in this personal work, then I have to be mindful of how approach what I want to say.

Always difficult, giving feedback has proven particularly difficult from a distance, especially written feedback. Tone is so easily mistaken, and from a distance with kids I’ve never met (some never even seen), it is not easily corrected. So, I approach it very carefully. I have to. I want the kids to hear my what, so I have to watch my how.

As such, this is how I have begun presenting my feedback to them.

Thank you for allowing me to join you in your work. Please see my feedback in the comments and resubmit once you have made revisions. As we continue this work, please remember that this is about process and progress, not getting done, so when I send it back to you with recommendations, it is not because I want to give you more work; it’s because I want to help you with the difficult craft of writing. I sincerely hope you see it that way. ~sy

When I can (and I am making an earnest effort to make it my norm), I make a Screencastify video using the same language, hoping that my intonations and expressions cement my sincerity in my efforts to join their journey as a guest in their growth.

But, even so, I worry things get lost as I move through my how to get to our what. But with every interaction I am learning the steps of the how to what dance, trying not to step on the toes of those with whom I partner. A delicate dance indeed.

Happy Thursday, all.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.